Event Details

Ralph Brookner Bender, CPA/CGMA is the CFO of  Manship Media, a broadcasting group in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. Prior to joining the Manship family businesses, Ralph spent a number of years in public accounting with both a national and a regional firm.  He is very active with both professional and industry organizations.  He is a past chair of the Society of Louisiana CPAs which has recognized him as a past recipient of the Outstanding CPA in Business and Industry.  He is also a member of the American Institute of CPAs.  Currently he serves as co-chair of its national AICPA CFO Conference.  His past AICPA activities include serving on the AICPA Council, AICPA’s governing body, Business and Industry Executive Committee, CPE Committee and the Private Company Audit Toolkit Taskforce.

Among his industry and volunteer activities, Ralph is a two time past chair of the Media Financial Management Association, a board member and executive committee member of the TV Music License Committee, LLC, treasurer of the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge and  is chair of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber. His past civic and charitable endeavors include being president of the International Newspaper Financial Executives Association, chair and interim CEO of the Capital Area United Way.  Ralph has also been chair/president of  Congregation B’nai Israel, the Jewish Federation of Greater Baton Rouge, the Manship Theatre for Performing Arts, the BBB of South Louisiana, JA of Greater Baton Rouge and Acadiana,  the Manship School of Mass Communications national Excellence Fund and the Louisiana Proprietary School Advisory Commission.  Ralph is a supporter of anything associated with LSU.

Ralph has been a speaker to professional and industry groups including the AICPA, LCPA, Georgia CPAs, the International Newspaper Financial Executives Association, the American Press Institute, the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association, the American Media Credit Executives Association and the Southeast Employee Benefits Conference.  His civic activities have earned him the recognition as a winner of the Baton Rouge Brotherhood/Sisterhood award, Boy Scouts’ Silver Beaver Award (the highest award for local scouting volunteers)’ the Junior Achievement Bronze Leadership Award, the LCPA’s 2005 Distinguished Public Service Award as well as the AICPA’s 2005 National Public Service Award, the Jewish Federation of Baton Rouge’s Distinguished Service Award and B’nai Israel’s President’s Award. Ralph has been recognized as a Volunteer Activist in Baton Rouge.